Musings Of A Dark Beast
by DarkSabertooth
Summary: Set just after X-Men Unlimited 10.Before he sets out to take his place among the X-Men Dark Beast decides that Beast deserves an explanation and maybe an apology-FINISHED
1. Default Chapter

Well Beast I wonder what you really think about me. Probably you feel nothing but hatred for me. I don't blame you for that since I've done nothing but bring you misery and pain since I first revealed myself to you. I can remember how shocked and relieved I felt when I first glimpsed you on the monitor while my assassin Fatale was attempting to kill your comrade Bishop. I felt such hope that we could be comrades, friends and above all brothers. Two great minds working as one and sharing the same hopes and dreams. What a team we would have made. Alas the differences between us turned out to be far greater than the colour of our fur.

The trouble with you Hank is that your curiosity doesn't go far enough. You don't have the courage of your convictions and you burden yourself with irrational morality and worst of all you have a conscience. All of these things I'm afraid leave you fundamentally lacking as a true scientist. Still I didn't know that at the time and as I said before I felt elated at finally finding my twin after twenty years.

I soon found out about who you really were. Your membership of those nauseatingly righteous champions of justice known as the Avengers provided you with much publicity.

I learned all about your deeds with them and the Defenders and the X-men. I must admit that I found your scientific papers good reading and they confirmed to me that you were a worthy match for me. Sadly they also showed that you were more interested in the theory than the practice. The difference between you and me is that you might think of how you could manipulate the genetic structure of a living being and leave it at that. Myself I like nothing better than to improve on what nature has provided us with. My test subjects might disagree but who cares about them.

Anyway I had already changed my mind about revealing myself to you and offering you partnership with me. Instead I formulated a new plan. For the past twenty years that I have lived on your world I have stayed in the shadows hiding from that most powerful of mutants Sinister. In another reality and another lifetime I was his servant forced to do his bidding. It's true that I enjoyed my work and the experimentation but servitude to him had it's drawbacks. Basically I find that one of my unsurpassed genius should be shackled to the petty whims of another. I'm afraid Sinister and I are too alike to truly coexist and sooner or later one of us will have to go. I admit that at present I am not powerful enough to stand against him which is where you come in. Where better to hide than in plain sight. With a handy genetic alteration to make my fur blue like yours I am your exact duplicate. One Beast is replaced by another Beast and nobody will notice the difference hopefully. You see Hank I'm going to take your place in the X-Men. Then Sinister will never find me.

Well enough about Sinister now. Best to think of more pleasant things and nothing heartens me more than satisfying my curiosity, trying out a new experiment and even indulging in a bit of crass physical violence. In the course of finding out all I could about you from your nearest and dearest I was able to sample all of these delights. Shall I tell you all about it Hank. I'm sure it will help to take your mind of your present predicament.


	2. I Love My Work

The quest to find out more about you from the people who knew you well turned out to be remarkably enjoyable. It is truly a pleasure to remove such shallow inferior examples of humanity from the gene-pool. It gets very tedious spending time in the presence of such creatures although they do make good subjects for my experiments. There are any number of pretty women out there who I would gladly use as my test subjects. You may think I am evil and immoral to use humans in this way but they will gladly perform experiments on rats, dogs, cats and even monkeys. As humans experiment on their genetic inferiors so I do the same. All in the name of science of course though I do admit to loving my work.

I started logically by going over your childhood. What better place to start than by talking to your principal. I found him an old man in ill health confined to bed in a nursing home. His eyesight was so poor that I never even needed to bother with a disguise. I did cause some consternation when I came in and some foolish security officers thought that they could stop me. They claimed I was a monster and one called me an animal. That offended me and I decided that if they said I was an animal I might as well act like one. With my sharp fangs and even sharper claws I soon showed those humans what an animal is capable off. I did wash my hands afterwards to clean off the blood because I'm not an animal.

Anyway he told me a sugary sweet story about little Hank wanting to know how everything worked and taking the school bus apart. He then told me that he could never stay angry at a child who loved to learn so much and that he had loved me like a son. How utterly saccharine. He then asked me to fluff up his pillows before I left. I did just that and then I smothered the old fool with them. Well I did as he asked and he didn't complain. As I was leaving I had to resist the temptation to take a pretty young nurse with me. What a wonderful test subject she would have made. I wonder which of the X-Women will become my test subject? Will it be Ororo, Rogue, Jean, Betsy or one of the others. Which one of them do you love the most Hank? That will be the one I choose.

Speaking of pretty women I come next to your old sweetheart Mindy. Yes a rather attractive blue-eyed blonde who used to have a crush on you. She seemed delighted that I wanted to see her and she still liked you Hank. She made some comments about the fur saying the cameras made it look more blue and that it seemed rough to the touch. Actually it wasn't fur that she touched but my ring. A special ring with a spike on which was one of my most beautiful little viruses. A real beauty which I had been itching to try out.  It turned out to be everything I could have hoped for Hank. Swift to take effect, a hundred percent contagious by touch and fatal within minutes. A restaurant full of humans dying in agony and fear with once pristine skin a patchwork of open sores, boils and green pus. A real work of art if you ask me.

Of course this was only the beginning and the best was yet to come. Shall I tell you about the priest next Hank? I liked that escapade a great deal. Another triumph of science over religion which I hope will delight you as much as it delighted me.


	3. Someone Always Has To Die

I expect you can remember Father Michael Shaugnessy and St Christopher's Church fondly Hank. The man did give you great comfort after your little crisis at the Brand Corporation. That incident was one of the few things we have in common being the only time that you followed your curiosity to the natural conclusion. There was no holding back out of fear or so-called morals and you had the courage of your convictions for once in your life. I know you were trying to find a chemical cause for mutation and that you had other motives you kept to yourself. Still I did the same thing to myself, experimenting to improve on what I already had. In both of our lives it worked and we acquired a new bestial form with increased strength, resilience, dexterity and agility. Interestingly you also had grey fur at first but it changed to blue in your case. I of course retained that colour of fur which did present a small problem.

Of course the priest tried to preach to me and offer me the comfort of the church. How foolish for humans in this age of scientific enlightenment to seek solace in omnipotent beings and worship their God. I don't believe in the existence of such beings only in what I can see, smell, hear or touch. I told Shaugnessy that shortly before I set up the bomb which gave him an early appointment with his maker. I told him to say hello for me just before I left.

Now I had one last visit to make and this would be the most challenging of all. I had to undergo a change first involving a simple genetic alteration to change my fur to blue. I needed a hair cut as well since we have different hairstyles. In fact I find this shorter style preferable so I'll keep it this way. With these preparations made I went to visit your dear parents Norton and Edna McCoy. How thrilled they would be to receive a visit from the son they doted on so much.

I nearly gave your father a heart attack when I jumped out at him from the corn but they didn't stay angry for long. I didn't even need to make up a story since they believed I was curious to see how some experimental crop feed I created was going. I talked to your mother in the kitchen and she mentioned Sadie your grandmother. I never had a grandmother Hank so I didn't know what to think. Somehow I couldn't find it in me to kill the old dear so I went outside to talk to your father.

He was chopping wood and seemed concerned about me. He said I didn't seem my normal self and never knew how right he was. I asked him to tell me about how I came to be and he talked about the radiation accident and how he gave birth to a mutant. I had the axe by this time since I was supposed to be helping him chop wood. I had the axe raised above my head and was prepared to slay him when he told that despite whatever I may do that he would always love me. Somehow that got through to me and I don't know why but again I couldn't bring myself to kill him. The axe came crashing down and a log was hacked straight in two. I left as quickly as I could leaving your father bewildered and frantic with worry. I'll never know for the rest of my life why I spared him and your mother.

That didn't mean though that no-one would die Hank. Someone always has to die and I had set out to kill again that day. That meant that the next person I saw was definitely going to die. He happened to be a young man walking a dog. He only had time for one scream as the jeep drove past him. The axe in my hand decapitated him and silenced whatever he would have said next. I'll tell you something Hank. It sure made me feel better to have done it. Nothing like a good bit of needless death to clear a mans head.


	4. Baiting The Trap

Now I had completed visiting (and killing) your old acquaintances and I had all the information that I needed. All I needed to do now was to secure the main objective and bring you into my clutches. Fortunately I had the perfect plan. It had been pathetically easy for me to tap into your computer system and I knew that for weeks you had been frantically trying to find a cure for the Legacy Virus. It consumed your every waking moment and you hardly stopped even to sleep or eat. You were tired, fatigued and easy prey. As you were running your latest research on your computer I sent you a hint from my own research. The words were "because nucleotides bond covalently". I made sure that my hacking could be easily traced back and left a trail leading to the Brand Corporation building.

This was a perfect choice as it represented the place where curiosity got the better of you once. It would also be the place where you fell victim to your curiosity again. You were alone, you were tired and you were distracted. Most of all you were mine. The control conditions were perfect and I had created a better mousetrap. The bait for the trap was a rather impressive hologram of the virus matrix. I hope you liked it Hank as I think it was an artistic masterpiece. As soon as you touched the hologram you activated the trap and you were mine. The look on your face was priceless as you realized your mistake. 

It was even better when you looked up to see yours truly hanging off the girder above you. Of course in accordance with your nature you immediately had questions and I felt that you deserved some answers. After all I know how curious you are and I wouldn't be so cruel as to let a man die with unanswered questions. Especially when the answers to those questions will shock him and horrify him. At the time of course I didn't fully answer your questions so I'll fill you in on some more now.

Briefly I am you Hank. We are one and the same however much it sickens me to admit it. However I am not from your universe but from a different parallel one in which the being known as Apocalypse ruled supreme. In that universe I served Sinister. He was the powerful man who I told you about. I wish to avoid having to serve him here which is why I'm going to take your place. He came close once before when he sent his accursed Marauders to slay so many of my beautiful creations. Of course except for Callisto they were failures but it was tragic to see how much of my work was ruined. It will not happen again.

Anyway I told you about my bitter disappointment concerning your petty morals and stunted curiosity and gave you a few hints as to what I was up to. By the way the scent of votive candles mixed with that of plastique is quite beautiful and you have just got to love Staphalectis Gamma.. I wonder what that little bug would due to young Jubilation Lee. I know you were fond of her. You were a playmate to her weren't you Hank. You have never quite expunged the inner child. How utterly sickening to waste your time on pranks and games. Still I must admit to having a playful nature myself. Humanity is my playground and plague and mutation are my toys. 

You were getting quite enraged now and then you made one of the oldest clichés in the book by asking me how I could be so evil. As I've said before Hank, morality is subjective and science is absolute. I'd heard enough from you now and I had a nice little syringe full of serum to keep you quiet. Then you managed to surprise me for the first time by making a supreme effort. It seemed I don't know my own strength because you burst right out of my trap. I must admit the fight that followed was enthralling. Primitive physical violence like sex does have it's appeal. Remember the fight Hank? We both took quite a beating but in the end you lost. Let me remind you of how you managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and how compassion led to your downfall.


	5. Fight To The Finish

It gave me quite a shock to my system to see shards of metal flying out from the ruins of your cage. The look on your face was also surprising. For once your expression was savage, feral and you really seemed to be the animal that we both resemble. I must admit that my next words were perhaps ill-chosen.

"Oh my stars and garters… that is the phrase isn't it?," were my exact words. Exactly why do you always use that little phrase Hank? It's something I'd really like to know. Oh you're not going to tell me are you? Fine, I'll just get back to the fight then.

You snarled at me displaying impressive fangs and told me not to mock me. Your leap was most impressive and you managed to rip my shirt. I think I will have to send you the bill for it Hank. Still I did manage to get my claws in and ripped your shirt in two places. It's lucky that we have a good thick coat of fur as it does tend to lessen the impact of blows. Thinking about it since we both got ruined shirts shall we say that were even Hank? Anyway you're hardly likely to be getting access to money anytime soon are you.

After I told you about being your better half you seemed to become enraged. Your kick very nearly shattered my jaw. You asked me again who I was and you made a mistake. I was helpless at that moment Hank and you could have finished me there and then. I took the opportunity to get to my feet and I decided to toy with you. That was a mistake on my part. You used your claws on me Hank. Were you any different from say Wolverine or Sabretooth then? Still it hurt a lot and that got me into action. A kick to the head and a throw sent you colliding with some shelves. You got the opportunity to realize just what I had done. I savored the look of horror and grief as you realized that many of the people you cared for were dead. Then I saw it and almost thought I heard a snap. Rage took over and Hank was lost as the Beast took over. 

Things started to go very badly for me then. I think I cracked a rib when you punched me and then I definitely got a broken from being thrown to the ground. I was thinking quickly as I lay dazed and helpless on the ground. At present you were wild and savage, berserk and practically unstoppable. You were nothing more than a killing machine and I was too weak to stop you. The only chance for survival I had was to try to snap you out of that state. If I could set up even a tiny amount of doubt in your mind I would cause you to pause. Fundamentally Hank you are not a killer and that is perhaps one of your greatest weaknesses.

_ I could feel my trachea being crushed and feel the creak of vertebrae as you pressed down with the metal plate. Although I could barely breathe I managed to get the words out. I encouraged you to kill me, to just press down until my neck snapped. I told you to do it but reminded you that by doing so you would never find out where I came from. That piqued your curiosity Hank and for a second you hesitated. That second was all I needed as you had just handed me victory. My hand reached for the lead pipe I had noticed just with my grasp. Then I gave you a solid blow to the head which bent the pipe out of place. Then it was just a simple matter of sedating you._

Then I dragged you to your present location. I hope you haven't strained anything from stupidly trying to struggle out of your chains Hank. Even with another adrenaline burst you will be unable to burst free from your bonds so save yourself the bother. I was gratified that you awoke before I had finished laying the bricks. It gives you a far better sense of satisfaction when your victim knows what is going to happen to them and is helpless to do anything about it. It would have been amusing for you to wake up and find yourself immured but this was so much more amusing, don't you think?

I had of course considered killing you straight away but since you showed me mercy during the fight I decided to spare you. Of course you will die sooner or later of thirst and starvation but prolonged suffering is so much more amusing. 

I'm afraid to say Hank that your little attempt to appeal to my humanitarian nature was pathetic and unbecoming of you. The Legacy Virus is of no real concern to me Hank and if anything I am glad that we have it. It encourages a little Darwinian evolution among the mutant population. Survival of the fittest Hank, a most excellent concept. Of the two of us I am the strongest, the better half and the one who most deserves to survive. The time has nearly come for me to set out and take my place among the X-Men. However I will fulfill my promise to you and fill you in on my plans. It will give you something else to think about and help you take your mind of your present predicament. 


	6. So Hard To Say Goodbye

I will of course be taking your place among the X-Men. I think my acting skills should be good enough to fool them. After all I just need to use lots of big words, tinker about in your laboratory, quote Shakespeare a lot, eat a lot of Twinkies and say "stars and garters" from time to time. That seems to be all you so with your time anyway. Maybe just for fun I'll resume your relationship with Trish Tilby and take her out for a nice dinner then I can repeat what I did with Mindy. This time I'll use a different virus as I'm always making new ones.

Of course I may have problems with some of your telepathic friends but I'll just have to be careful with my thoughts around them. I'm good at concealing my thoughts when I need to Hank. When you have worked for Sinister you must always be careful not to let your guard down and think about your secret plans. You never know when a telepath might be eavesdropping. Still Xavier, Jean Grey and Betsy Braddock all have this curious moral stance of not reading people's minds without permission. Now that's just plain stupid. What's the point in having a power if you don't make full use of it.

Still if worse does come to worse they will just have to meet with an unfortunate accident. Xavier is old and who can tell when he might suffer a fatal stroke or a heart attack. I'll be on hand to provide medical assistance but sadly that day my skills will prove insufficient. Of course I will grieve and the others will be there to comfort me and tell me that I did my best. Now Betsy as you know suffered a terrible injury at the hands of Sabretooth. Maybe her recovery wasn't quite as complete as we thought at first. Jean Grey might prove more of a challenge but I'll think of something Hank like I always do.

Of course they will be the only people who have any real chance of detecting me. Not even Logan will realize that anything is wrong since I'm identical to you I smell the same. If I seem different in personality then I can put it down to working on the Legacy Virus. This will be quite true as I intend to see if I can make certain improvements to that lovely little plague.

Apart from that I will have a great time. Hiding in plain view as it were I'll have nothing to fear from Sinister any more. No more lurking in sewers for me. I may even let Emma Frost know who I really am and weave a story about finding you dying and feeling remorse for my earlier actions and taking your place to make up for my evil. Since she's a reformed villainess herself she might even believe me. If not then who will believe her word over mine. She's not exactly an angel even now. You know Hank I do miss her sometimes. We had such a nice time together once. That's a tale for another time though and one you'll never hear.

Just look at the time Hank. I don't know where the hours have gone but they do say that time flies when you're having fun. I would love to stay here all day talking to you but sadly I have more important things to do. Before I go I have some final words which I suggest you cherish. They may be the last words you ever hear from another human being. A last farewell if you please. Anyway here goes nothing.

Goodbye Henry Philip McCoy. Goodbye Hank. Goodbye Beast. Goodbye…brother!


End file.
